Forgiveness
by smiles1116
Summary: Four years after he leaves, Hima finds herself wondering if Sasuke will ever come back. Will she find peace?


[Forgiveness] Sasuke oneshot (for HimaRules)

_Alas, the second handwritten oneshot has arrived! I decided I needed a day off because I've had a terrible last 24 hours. And by the way... peeing in a cup is humiliating and degrading... NOT fun! DX And sorry about the crap title.... I wasn't sure what to call it. XS_

Name: Hima Namikaze

Looks: Shoulder-length blonde hair, left eye blue, right eye green, slender, average height, pale, black shorts and aqua Kimono-style shirt

Personality: Loving, lazy, calm, sensitive, outgoing, good-willed, generally carefree but also nervous and can get panicky, can be clumsy and naïve and rather ditzy

Birthday: July 18th

Age: 13 or 17

Family: Naruto is younger half-brother

Rank: Jounin, retired ANBU

Close friends: Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Temari, Hinata, Kakashi, Shikamaru

Favorite colors: Aqua, black, crimson, purple

Hobbies: Drawing, training, hanging out with friends, sleeping

"... Hima, this is boring!"

"... No it's not."

"... Yes it is!" Hima sighs at the blonde's remarks. Kankuro smirks from his seat leaning against a tree while Aria chuckles lazily from her spot draped over her lover.

"No one said you had to stay, Naruto. By all means, go do something more exciting," Hima says quietly without opening her eyes. The blonde hesitates before going quiet and pouting a little, and the group falls silent once more.

The group continues to relax... well, all but Naruto, who continues to be rather antsy. Aria lets herself completely relax in the arms around her, easily drifting off into a doze. Kankuro smiles the least bit and lets his eyes shut, not a care in the world. Hima keeps her eyes shut in rest, smirking a little when she hears a low growl.

"... Hungry, Naruto?"

"Hehe...." Naruto rubs the back of his neck rather sheepishly. He gets up and stretches a little. "Are you going to go with me, or are you going to stay here and be lazy like Shikamaru?"

Hima smirks the least bit in amusement and singsongs, "Naaaptiiime."

Naruto pouts a little before waving her off. "Tch, fine."

Hima lets out a soft sigh as her thoughts drift around her. _Four years.... It's been four years to the day since he left._

She was beginning to wonder if he would ever come back.

***Meanwhile***

_Four years.... It's been four years to the day since I left.... _A man thinks to himself as he reclines in a tree, staring up into the sky. He had managed to lose his team with his exploding raven trick and masking his chakra. Not even the pink-haired bimbo fangirl has managed to find him yet. He finds a slight ironic humor in the thought that he left one pink-headed fangirl behind but managed to find another to take her place.

_... If I didn't need her, I'd leave her behind._

Before he realizes it, he finds his thoughts drifting back to his friends, though he soon realizes that his mind seems to favor one particular blonde more than another....

He snaps himself out of his memories, going instead to the almost painful memory of a mismatched set of eyes – one a twinkling sapphire, the other a sparkling emerald – filled with tears at the sight of him walking out the gate. Looking back, he realizes her last words have nearly haunted him for four years....

_A young and proud boy stands in the archway of the village he once called home. He turns away after a last look and freezes to see a pair of mismatched eyes in front of him, blonde locks blowing slightly in front of her face. His grip tightens on the strap of his bag. She focuses her gaze on his bag for a brief moment before turning to hide the tears in her eyes, even though she knows he has already seen them. He hears a whisper of three soft words carry to him on a soft breath of wind before he turns and walks out the gate, leaving her behind._

_ "... I forgive you."_

He sighs softly as he remembers and feels a slight bit of remorse for leaving, as he does each time he remembers her words. He looks up into the sky again before realizing what day it is. He contemplates what he could do before getting up and springing away, a plan forming in his mind.

***Meanwhile***

Hima lets out another soft sigh as she finally gets up from her spot, smiling a little at seeing her two friends entwined together, happy for them but feeling her own heart pang a little at the sight. A sort of longing ache fills her chest, and she turns from the sight, quietly walking back home. Her hands reside in her pockets, taking her time as she goes back toward an empty flat, though she has more than once considered asking Naruto to move in with her. She nods occasionally to people in greeting but continues on her way.

As she walks, she remains wrapped in her thoughts. It suddenly occurs to her that her birthday is in a few days. She smiles a little, not really caring, but knowing that her friends will all... well, will _mostly_ all be with her.

***A few days later***

A raven-haired man steps into a flower shop in a dinky town in the middle of nowhere. A soft gasp is heard from the direction of the counter, and he turns his gaze to the side without moving his head. He stares at the stricken girl, a mix of awe and surprise settling onto her face. He turns his gaze back in front of him again and glances around the shop before slowly walking toward the back and examining the flowers on display. After a moment, he selects one and turns, walking gracefully back to the front and laying it on the countertop.

The cashier suddenly comes back to herself and shakes her head a little, ringing up his purchase. They interact without a word, and he picks up a sheer, navy ribbon before carefully tying it around the stem. White rose in hand, he turns and exits the shop without a word.

The man disappears into the trees and finds himself outside of the same gate from four years ago, seeing that the time away hasn't changed the area much. Either way, he finds he can't take a step through the archway. True to his nature, he turns again to the trees and quickly scales one before dropping over on the other side, sticking to the shadows so no one sees him. He walks a ways through the town before stopping outside a flat he recognizes. Standing in the shadows, he stares at one window in particular for several moments, memories of a happier time coming back.

_... No, not happy... but certainly not miserable.... Content, perhaps, is a better word._

This in mind, he slowly steps from the shadows and onto the porch, kneeling and almost tenderly laying his flower down in the center next to the door, carefully smoothing out the ribbon. He straightens back up again and stands, gazing down at the flower for a moment before turning and disappearing back the way he came, looking back only once before he drops over the wall and out of sight again.

***A couple hours later when dawn arrives***

Hima yawns and sits up before opening her eyes, glancing at her bedside table to see her birthday has finally arrived. She finds herself almost surprised that Naruto hasn't come and woken her up already, though she's pretty sure she knows what he got her.

_... If he remembered._ She thinks with a soft giggle. After a quick stretch she hops out of bed and pads across the floor, moving toward the door after she dresses. She pulls open her front door and freezes, having caught sight of something lying in her path. Stunned, she slowly kneels and wraps her fingers around the stem of a white rose embraced by a sheer navy ribbon. Her gaze remains locked on it for several minutes before she slowly brings it to her nose and inhales, eyes drifting shut at the sweet scent.

A small smile blooms upon her face, instantly knowing exactly where the flower came from. She turns her gaze up to the sky, faintly glowing with the pastels of dawn.

_... I'll wait for you._


End file.
